This specification relates to nozzle formation in a microelectromechanical device, such as an inkjet print head.
Printing a high quality, high resolution image with an inkjet printer generally requires a printer that accurately ejects a desired quantity of ink at a specified location on a printing medium. Typically, a multitude of densely packed ink ejecting devices, each including a nozzle and an associated ink flow path are formed in a print head structure. The ink flow path connects an ink storage unit, such as an ink reservoir or cartridge, to the nozzle. The ink flow path includes a pumping chamber. In the pumping chamber, ink can be pressurized to flow toward a descender region that terminates in the nozzle. The ink is expelled out of an opening at the end of the nozzle and lands on a printing medium. The medium can be moved relative to the fluid ejection device. The ejection of a fluid droplet from a particular nozzle is timed with the movement of the medium to place a fluid droplet at a desired location on the medium.
Various processing techniques can be used to form the ink ejectors in the print head structure. These processing techniques can include layer formation, such as deposition and bonding, and layer modification, such as etching, laser ablation, punching and cutting. The techniques that are used can differ depending on desired nozzle shapes, flow path geometry, along with the materials used in the inkjet printer, for example.